Current treatments for food allergies include dietary changes, PPIs, swallowed glucocorticoids, and, in some cases, esophageal dilation.
However, 30-40% of patients may not respond to these treatments, which can also have negative side effects.
Since type 2 cytokines seem to play a key role in EoE, researchers have looked at the use of dupilumab as a remedy. Monoclonal antibody dupilumab inhibits the receptor for interleukin-4 and interleukin-13, two important cytokines in type 2 inflammation.
A phase 2 study including individuals with active EoE demonstrated that a weekly dosage of dupilumab 300mg decreased symptoms and improved esophageal tissue, and the drug is now licensed for the treatment of various type 2 inflammatory diseases, including atopic dermatitis, asthma, and EoE.
In the phase 3 experiment presented in the paper, researchers evaluated the effectiveness and safety of dupilumab delivered weekly or every two weeks to placebo in individuals 12 years and older.
They discovered that 300 mg of dupilumab administered subcutaneously weekly decreased symptoms and improved histologic results, while a dosage administered every other week boosted histologic outcomes but did not reduce symptoms.
The Stuart E. Starr Chair of Pediatrics and Chief of the Allergy Program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Jonathan Spergel, MD, Ph.D., remarked that the findings of this phase 3 research “give hope to patients and families who have historically had limited options to treat EoE.”
This research demonstrates “that dupilumab is a good treatment option for patients with EoE and not only reduces symptoms” but also addresses the underlying cause of the condition.
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